Wuxin (or Wu Xin) in Chinese means “no-mind”. This well-known, and often practiced, Eastern Philosophy has been around for hundreds of years. Wuxin is commonly practiced in Zen Buddhism, Taoism, and is practiced as Mushin in Japanese. “No-Mind” is a state of clarity and focus. The Yin-Yang symbol, which has become more recognizable in the West in recent years, is a good representation of the “no-mind” concept.
The older Chinese character “xin” means heart. Today it is usually translated in English as “mind”. However, it is sometimes translated to “heart-mind”, meaning the emotional mind. Confusing? However, in Chinese philosophy, the brain and heart are very connected. Our thoughts are a result of heart and emotion.
It is the intensity of our emotions that influences or hijacks the way we understand and look at things. Remember that emotions, which operate on the right side of the brain, can unfortunately, overrule the logical and rational mind on the left side. It’s important that we see reality - facts, if you will - rather than our perceived version which is colored by our emotions.
When we think, we constantly judge, do self-reflection, show our doubts and insecurity. and validate our thoughts through our emotions. The result is usually conflict. If not for conflict, the mind would be still! Relaxing your mind (or emptying it, if you prefer) and becoming calm is an emotional process. If your emotions are out of control, how do you collect your thoughts?
In Wuxin (or No-Mind), a person’s mind is still and free of anger, fear, biases, ego, or wandering thoughts and judgments. This means being free of the constraints, notions, preconceptions of the world, sense of self, and even restrictions of everyday life. Now the practitioner, be it in practice, combat, or everyday life, can tap into his or her subconscious and respond to any situation (or person) without hesitation, anger, fear, ego, or judgment. In other words, detaching or disassociating yourself to see the person or situation more clearly. This allows the practitioner to use intuition, instinct, or trained natural responses to predict the moves of an opponent before they even execute them.
Zen swordsmen, Tai Chi and/or Qigong practitioners, and most martial artists aim for a state of Wuxin. In this state, we relax our bodies, let go of our worries, and empty our minds. You then achieve “No-mind”, or Wuxin, otherwise known as tranquility. This is where you need to take yourself and your consciousness. Joe Hyams, author of Zen in the Martial Arts, quotes Bruce Lee as attributing the following to Zen master Takuan Soho:
“The mind must always be in the state of ‘flowing,’ for when it stops anywhere that means the flow is interrupted and it is this interruption that is injurious to the well-being of the mind. In the case of the swordsman, it means death.”
Do we use “Wuxin” in our daily life? When you do some task or job with focus and awareness because you care, are you “putting your heart into it”? How about your Tai Chi or Qigong practice? They also require the same focus, awareness, and caring. But what happens if you don’t? You are merely going through the motions, it becomes superficial, and you may need to ask yourself: is it really Tai Chi and/or Qigong you are doing? Hopefully, you can tell the difference?
I recently watched a great example of Wuxin (or I should say, the lack of Wuxin) recently while watching the 2003 movie, “The Last Samurai”, starring Tom Cruise. In a sword sparring match with a samurai, when our “hero” is defeated, another samurai suggests that his issue is “Too many mind.” When questioned, this samurai states “Yes, Mind sword, mind people watching, mind enemy. Too many mind.”
Most, if not all, Buddhists, Toaists, Zen, and martial arts practitioners meditate with the goal of achieving a No Mind state. Wuxin requires that you quiet your Central Nervous System, which produces Cortisol (the stress hormone), and activate the Parasympathetic Nervous System, which slows your breathing, your pulse, and reduces your blood pressure. Blood then flows more smoothly to your brain. Of course, meditation requires dedication and practice but doesn’t everything worthwhile?
By now you are probably thinking, that makes sense, but that’s easier said then done. I totally agree! It’s hard to let go of all the “chatter” (monkey mind) and related emotions. It takes lots of practice - usually quite a few years! Think of how much better our practice and our lives would be if we approached them with focus, clarity, and awareness instead of distractions, stress, and “monkey mind”!
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